New International Version
Matthew 24:27
27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
- New Living Translation (NLT)For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.
Context of Matthew 24:27
25See, I have told you ahead of time. 26“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29“Immediately after the distress of those days “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
Read all of Matthew 24Matthew 24:27 word by word
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀστραπὴ ἐξέρχεται ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ φαίνεται ἕως δυσμῶν, οὕτως ἔσται ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
- the lightningὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the lightningἀστραπήastrapē · lightningG796
- comethἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- outἀπόapo · away fromG575
- of the eastἀνατολήanatolē · eastG395
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- shinethφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- even untoἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- the westδυσμήdusmē · westG1424
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- shallεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the comingπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
- of the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Matthew 24:27
- Job 37:3He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth.
- Job 38:35Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
- Isaiah 30:30The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice and will make them see his arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire, with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail.
- Zechariah 9:14Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,
- Luke 17:24For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.
- Matthew 16:28“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
- Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
- Malachi 4:5“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
- James 5:8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- 2 Peter 3:4They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
Commentaries on Matthew 24:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west - It is worthy of remark that our Lord, in the most particular manner, points out the very march of the Roman army: they entered into Judea on the East, and carried on their conquest Westward, as if not only the extensiveness of the ruin, but the very route which the army would take, were intended in the comparison of the lightning issuing from the east, and shining to the west.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east - This is not designed to denote the quarter from which he would come, but the manner. He does not mean to affirm that the “Son of man” will come from the “east,” but that he will come in a rapid and unexpected manner, like the lightning. Many would be looking for him in the desert, many in secret places; but he said it would be useless to be looking in that manner; it was useless to look to any particular…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-28Verses 4-28 The disciples had asked concerning the times, When these things should be? Christ gave them no answer to that; but they had also asked, What shall be the sign? This question he answers fully. The prophecy first respects events near at hand, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the Jewish church and state, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world; but it also looks to the general judgment; and toward…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27-28Lightning here may point to the great cosmic signs that will mark the coming of the Messiah (see Matthew 24:29–31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). The focus is on how easy the lightning is to see, not how suddenly it comes. Jesus probably shared these teachings to prevent early excitement about the end of time (1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 24:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries